The present invention generally relates to propulsion blades for a device, such as a disk pump. More specifically, the present invention relates to a propulsion blade having at least one irregularity or contour in a surface of the blade that is identically repeated in a series of blades for use in device, such as a pump, an engine or the like.
It is, of course, generally known to provide pumps or engines that are designed to use and implement a plurality of blades stacked one atop another with minimal spacing therebetween. The blades, upon high speed rotation, provide an engine or motor with the highest possible power output using a minimum amount of energy. The power is derived from the force imparted through rotation of the blades by, for example, impact, adhesion, viscosity and static expansion derived from a fluid such as gas, steam, water, air, or the like when forced upon the rotating blades.
Known blades used for this purpose are typically planar and are stacked as a series of parallel blades. It is known, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,047,898 to provide an engine with rotor blades or plates having circumferential teeth adapted to receive the direct impact of a fluid as well as the faces of the disk receiving the impact of the fluid thereby resulting in a higher starting torque and increased power at all speeds. In operation, fluid is introduced through an inlet port and directed against serrations about a circumference of the disk thereby imparting a propulsive force thereto. The impact of the fluid against the face of the disk takes a spiral course. The length of the spiral course corresponds to the speed of rotation of the plates. As a result of the direct impact upon the disk together with the adhesion of the fluid to the disk, a high starting torque results in a corresponding increase.
A need, however, exists for an improved disk and/or parallel spaced disks used, for example, in a pump to further improve the efficiency and output power of the device in which the blades are implemented.